I jack-up the vehicle, pull the inspection cover, start the engine and watch the ring gear spin.
DD

Thanks to both Ted and Doc. Actually I have been using the "wait till it breaks" philosophy so far. So far so good. This car has a five speed manual, so no flex plate. And Dan is correct, this engine has no mechanical fuel pump. I am still thinking lateral play in the rockers. If that is the culprit, then it will run forever with no problems. But I just don't know at this point. Keep the thoughts coming.

Doc, I don't know if you remember, but I asked this question in a very veiled way about 9 months ago, and you responded then to take the spacers and whack them slightly out of alignment to make them slightly longer and thus tighten up the lateral valve train play. I think you even posted a photo of that. Did you do this just out of GP's or were you responding to a noise you had heard?

Sam

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Check the converter bolts. I had that happen on the van once. Endplay in the crank would have them tapping on the block.

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'72 Duster 198 stock cam, 3:23's Hookers on jack stands for 8 years in the driveway
'79 Maxivan 360 Offy Qjet Comp RV cam/rusting in the driveway.
93 D350 160HP Cummins Auto Dually Clubcab needs a injector pump
2005 Golden Couch Buick

I do the "rocker arm spacing adjustments" as Good Practice, more with a focus on getting all the arm contact pads, centered on the valve stem tips... you also get reduced side-play when doing this.
DD

This is a total TOTAL longshot, but it happened to me once back in the 80s. The dipstick was bent, and it was hitting the crank. Ting, ting, ting, ting. When you revved it, it would mostly go away for some reason.

I doubt that's it, but it's worth a shot. The dipstick tube is just press-fit into the block and can easily get rotated.

-Kip on Truckin''

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1965 Valiant wagon Turbo slant (work in progress)
2000 Chevy 155" cargo van - The Abductor
1970 Newport convertible
1996 Buick Roadmaster Wagon
1966 CruiseAire motor home
1990 Toyota 1 ton box truck TURBO slant (scraped)

The noise sounds heavier than that,but I will pill the dip sick and see. I do have an extended tube installed from a v8 to clear the turbo. Thanks. I'm away for the week so cannot do this check qfor a bit.

Sam

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